Nikon D7000 - advice needed on how to use it

I'm not sure why people are saying he shouldn't have bought this camera. It's got all the auto features you would have got on a d3100 and d5100. He wanted to be able to use his old lenses so this is the lowest price Nikon in the current range with an AF Motor.

Because he's new he has to endure a old d50. Maybe he wants a warranty? Maybe he wants a decent rear screen? Maybe he wants live view? Maybe he doesn't want to have to get the sensor cleaned? Maybe he wants to shoot video? Maybe he wants to shoot higher than 400 iso? Maybe he wants a kit lens with VR?

Because he's new he has to endure a old d50. Maybe he wants a warranty? Maybe he wants a decent rear screen? Maybe he wants live view? Maybe he doesn't want to have to get the sensor cleaned? Maybe he wants to shoot video? Maybe he wants to shoot higher than 400 iso? Maybe he wants a kit lens with VR?

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Maybe he would've been better off with a bridge camera?

We failed him, although he didn't help himself. We got dragged down the path of re-using his old lenses, regardless of if that was actually what he really needed. We answered his questions far too quickly, without getting to the bottom of what his actual needs were. That's not the way we normally operate on here, it's the stuff of far lesser forums. The fact is that all the questions you've posed should've been asked BEFORE we started even talking about which model of camera he should look for. It may well be that he's bought the right camera, but on the strength of this thread, I honestly doubt it.

We failed him, although he didn't help himself. We got dragged down the path of re-using his old lenses, regardless of if that was actually what he really needed. We answered his questions far too quickly, without getting to the bottom of what his actual needs were. That's not the way we normally operate on here, it's the stuff of far lesser forums. The fact is that all the questions you've posed should've been asked BEFORE we started even talking about which model of camera he should look for. It may well be that he's bought the right camera, but on the strength of this thread, I honestly doubt it.

Had he started another thread in the past before he bought it? Because this one he had already got it, so was to late to ask him these questions. Probably really excited and everyone put him on a downer.

Had he started another thread in the past before he bought it? Because this one he had already got it, so was to late to ask him these questions. Probably really excited and everyone put him on a downer.

Before we beat ourselves up too much, I'd still be interested as to where the camera was bought from. If as I asked it was bought from a shop and not off the internet, then many of Pauls basic questions should have been asked and answered at the time of purchase. Perhaps then Paul may have decided that this was or wasn't the right camera for him.

I hope the OP does come back - no one is pointing fingers and going "haha". The fundamentals can be learnt - but a £1000 is a lot to spend if you're going to use it as a point-and-shoot as you then miss out on the majority of benefits such a photographic tool provides.

There was a page link back through the posts worth reposting from Learning which was:

OK...confession time here...I've been using DSLRs for nearly 10 years and my current model (Samsung GX20) I've had for 3 years. It's a Pentax K mount lens and so you can in theory with ease use old manual focus bayonet lenses from years and years ago with ease.... again I emphasise
Well it has taken me three years to figure how to do this properly because I didn't RTFM and I was always too embarrassed to ask cos I was a bit of a fanboy....
See how the (not so) mighty are fallen....

OK...confession time here...I've been using DSLRs for nearly 10 years and my current model (Samsung GX20) I've had for 3 years. It's a Pentax K mount lens and so you can in theory with ease use old manual focus bayonet lenses from years and years ago with ease.... again I emphasise
Well it has taken me three years to figure how to do this properly because I didn't RTFM and I was always too embarrassed to ask cos I was a bit of a fanboy....
See how the (not so) mighty are fallen....

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Tip for the future just say you're asking for a friend and he really really needs to know by the weekend as he has loads of photos to take.

Then just wait for the floods of advice telling him to read the manual. Three years was there a feeling of elation or one of FFS it was that simple when you sussed it out. Though when I think of it as I'm a Pentax man the info in the menu was not so easy to find but three years.

Before we beat ourselves up too much, I'd still be interested as to where the camera was bought from. If as I asked it was bought from a shop and not off the internet, then many of Pauls basic questions should have been asked and answered at the time of purchase. Perhaps then Paul may have decided that this was or wasn't the right camera for him.